Shrek tour v. Broadway

[jeffef2]

Posted: 1/21/11 at 1:30pm

I read the design for the Dragon was modified (thank goodness) but also the opening was changed. Can anyone describe the change(s), particularly the opening for me? Thanks
P.S. I'm new to the board (what with ATC being down)

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/21/11 at 5:27pm

The opening really wasn't that different at all. Young Shrek and Young Fionna did not meet. Fionna's parents were taking her to the tower while shrek was about to be burned at a stake but then he roared.

[provocation]

Posted: 1/21/11 at 8:53pm

A major change: Haven Burton > Sutton Foster.

[ifuweregay93]

Posted: 1/21/11 at 9:19pm

I can tell you what hasn't been changed. The show still sucks!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/21/11 at 10:40pm

A major change: Haven Burton > Sutton Foster.

Woah I totally disagree. I thought Sutton Foster was way better. I felt like Sutton Foster truly captured the character of Fionna. I also thought Sutton's dancing and vocals were a thousand times better than Haven Burton.

[provocation]

Posted: 1/21/11 at 10:49pm

bway, you're correct about Foster's dance ability--Burton isn't a great dancer. I find Burton to be a better vocalist and frankly I enjoyed her Fiona more than I did Foster's. To each their own. I personally found her to be a major improvement.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/21/11 at 11:04pm

Haven Burton is a vast improvement over the boring, thoroughly charmless Sutton Foster. Burton brought some much needed spunk to the role.

[oncemorewithfeeling]

Posted: 1/22/11 at 12:03am

Foster is cutesy and fun. Her voice gets on my nerves.
Can't speak for Burton, yet.
I imagine she is better, though.

I thought the show was mindless fun. Brilliant to look at and some catchy/some forgettable music.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/22/11 at 12:06am

I liked them both, but I definitely liked Sutton more. When I saw her it was a week before the Tonys and she was wonderful and I didn't think her performance was weak or boring, buy I may have just gotten lucky and caught her on one of her better nights.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/22/11 at 5:51am

I think Sutton is the same in every performance I'd seen her in. I loved her in Millie, LIKED her in Drowsy, and found absoltely no spark in her as Fiona.

That being said: Shrek was my kids least favorite show they'd ever seen on Bway -- well it might be a tie between Shrek and Tarzan. (and they've seen quite a bit.)

[Gink]

Posted: 1/22/11 at 12:51pm

I saw Shrek three times--once with Sutton and twice with Haven. I only warmed up to Haven in act two both times. We loved Sutton's energy and she seemed like she was having a lot of fun on stage.

[inick122492]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 8:10pm

Saw the Broadway version 2 years ago and just saw the tour.
Why did they skim down dumb things that didn't need to be changed.
Like the mirror and Fiona's tower?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 8:23pm

^ the missing magic mirror really bothered me.

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 8:24pm

Fiona's tower was cut because most touring houses don't have enough wing space for it.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 8:57pm

Fiona's tower had nothing to do with wing space... the tower was partially built into and entire dependent upon a toughly 30ft x 12ft turntable structure that weighed thousands of lbs.. the base of Fiona's tower (where the actresses stood) was the smallest ring within the turntable, elevated, with only the railing and wall / roof placed on top..

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 9:14pm

I was told by cast members that it was to do with wing space. The turntable was used in the tour, but if did not have a lift. To keep the tower it would have had to have been stored in the wings. Therefore, it was changed.

[zamedy]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 9:30pm

I am quite aware that this is totally inappropriate but.. what the hell. Grandpianoalex.. you can tickle my ivories anytime.

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 9:34pm

Bahahahahahaha!
Is that in reference to my picture? It is of Kyle Dean Massey in his current Fiyero costume for Wicked.
Updated On: 3/7/11 at 09:34 PM

[zamedy]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 10:25pm

DAMN! Haha.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 10:28pm

I was under the impression that most touring houses had more wing space than the Broadway houses. If other touring productions can have an elephant graveyard, barricades, a helicopter, etc. I don't see why this can't have the simple tower. It may be to help save time and make the show more portable, but I don't think space is an issue.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 10:43pm

"wing space" is a standard, pat response.. truck space is far more likely, but there is no need to go through all of that when the original unit is not logical and a simple, effective solution exists.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/7/11 at 10:49pm

The new tower did not bother me at all. Even though they COULD have brought the tower unit, the way they did it with the touring production worked quite well. I would much rather a touring production find a new way to do something instead of just slimming back the original set.